Off-road vehicles damage protected areas in Mashpee

MASHPEE — Town officials are ramping up enforcement of a bylaw that prohibits the use of vehicles on town conservation land after a recent spike in vandalism that has cost thousands of dollars.

The Mashpee Conservation Department and Police Department in recent months have issued several citations for unauthorized motor vehicle access and vandalism on town conservation land, especially in the Johns Pond Conservation area. Much of the vandalism comes from people with off-roading vehicles such as all-terrain vehicles attempting to gain access to the area by damaging locks on one of the parcel’s four gates or destroying nearby trees, according to Katelyn Cadoret, assistant conservation agent.

The town’s conservation land bylaw prohibits the unauthorized use of motor vehicles on town land.

The Conservation Department will increase surveillance of Johns Pond and other conservation areas, Cadoret said. She declined to specify the methods being employed by town officials. Police Chief Scott Carline said conservation officials are taking the lead on the matter, though he will supplement the effort with additional patrols of the area.

The gates’ locking mechanisms have been replaced several times in recent months as a result of the tampering, which Cadoret said can cause a serious problem if police and fire officials are unable to access the land. Other vandalism has included the removal of trees and illegal dumping.

Cadoret said she was unable to provide a specific cost of the recent damages, though she estimated it to be “within the tens of thousands” of dollars, including work hours and material to repair the damage or clean up trash.

She said that unauthorized riding of motor vehicles causes soil to become compacted and alter drainage patterns and destroys vegetation, which leads to erosion and pollution problems. Additionally, the vehicles harm wildlife habitats and threaten hikers’ safety.

—Follow Chris Lindahl on Twitter: @cmlindahl

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